worship

verb

wor·ship | \ ˈwər-shəp also ˈwȯr-

worshipped also worshiped; worshipping also worshiping

Definition of worship

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power

2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion a celebrity worshipped by her fans

intransitive verb

: to perform or take part in worship or an act of worship

worship

noun

Definition of worship (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power also : an act of expressing such reverence

2 : a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual

3 : extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem worship of the dollar

4 chiefly British : a person of importance —used as a title for various officials (such as magistrates and some mayors)

Other Words from worship Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about worship

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Choose the Right Synonym for worship

Verb

revere, reverence, venerate, worship, adore mean to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully. revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling. a professor revered by her students reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring. reverenced the academy's code of honor venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age. heroes still venerated worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony. worships their memory adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment. we adored our doctor

Examples of worship in a Sentence

Verb

Many ancient cultures worshipped the sun and moon. They worship at this temple. I worship God in my own way.

Noun

worship of gods and goddesses Worship services are held daily. the media's worship of celebrities

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Mark Ronson, one of the writer-producers behind the track, properly worshipped Gaga in his speech. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "The Biggest Moments From the 2019 Golden Globes," 6 Jan. 2019 Before then, the Druids worshipped oak trees as their idol. — Nicol Natale, Woman's Day, "Why Do We Have Christmas Trees?," 15 Nov. 2018 Our culture worships the criminal, not the victims. — Courtney Lund O’neil, Harper's BAZAAR, "A Serial Killer, a Receipt, and My Mom: Haunted by the Murder of 33 Boys," 31 Oct. 2018 Clearly, a huge chunk of the culture worships at the altar of Kylie and Travis. — Dan Barna, Allure, "Kylie Jenner Transforms Into the Virgin Mary for Travis Scott's "Stop Trying to Be God" Video," 7 Aug. 2018 But the majority still worshipped him as a liberation hero and the father of the nation—a man who had taken the country from 45 percent literacy to 80 percent in a mere ten years. — Karan Mahajan, The New Republic, "After the Strongman," 26 Mar. 2018 As always, the CAOS iteration serves to drive home the point that the Spellman family worships Satan, not any other entity. — Jessica Macleish, Teen Vogue, "10 Details in "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter’s Tale" You Might Have Missed," 14 Dec. 2018 Nobody is, say, deeply bothered to find out that a loving God does not seem to exist in the show’s world, or even deeply curious to know or worship whatever deity does control the Good Place. — Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, "The (secular) gospel according to The Good Place," 5 Dec. 2018 With wide sidewalks and a friendly park sandwiched in the middle, this is the city’s best stroll for window shopping, people watching and sun worshipping. — Rick Steves' Europe, The Seattle Times, "Helsinki holds its own among Nordic capitals," 18 Sep. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In recent months, Chinese authorities have renewed their efforts in cracking down on unauthorized houses of worship. — Violet Law, The Seattle Times, "Advocate of China-Vatican dialogue named Hong Kong bishop," 7 Jan. 2019 Their aura of secrecy—mandated by Venetian law, which forbade any exterior sign for Jewish houses of worship—made them seem all the more precious. — Leslie Camhi, ELLE Decor, "Inside the World's Most Beautiful Synagogues," 5 Nov. 2018 Carl Rhodes, co-author of the book CEO Society, notes that CEO worship has even spread to us as individuals. — Rebecca Jennings, Vox, "CEOs have never been more idolized. 5 experts explain why that’s a problem.," 29 Nov. 2018 Today, about 550 people — a mix of longtime local parishioners, commuters from the suburbs and people who recently moved to Detroit — worship there on Sundays. — Ann Zaniewski, Detroit Free Press, "Past, future to be celebrated as St. Joseph Oratory host Mass Mob," 9 June 2018 Taxing houses of worship is deeply un-American—no matter how large or small the tax burden. — Russell Moore, WSJ, "Stop the Tax on Houses of Worship," 22 Nov. 2018 With the victims' own place of worship still a crime scene, mourners gathered at another synagogue, a Jewish community center and a third, undisclosed site. — Allen G. Breed, The Seattle Times, "Pittsburgh begins burying its dead as Trump faces protesters," 30 Oct. 2018 While some sat in ununiform rows and others stood by in clusters, the space only subtly resembled a place of worship. — Andrew Bevan, Vogue, "Erin Wasson and Barth Tassy Combined Their Texas and French Riviera Roots With a “Ranch Tropez” Wedding in Austin," 14 Aug. 2018 Instead, this darker, bloodier version of Sabrina Spellman’s antics introduces a world in which the misconception that witchcraft, paganism, and Wiccan rituals are about devil worship is indulged to create a brewing battle for ultimate control. — Kelsea Stahler, Teen Vogue, "The Resurgence of Witches in Pop Culture Like Sabrina, AHS "Coven," and "Charmed" Reflects Women in the Real World," 14 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'worship.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near worship

worship at the altar of

worshipful

Statistics for worship

Last Updated

20 Jan 2019

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Time Traveler for worship

The first known use of worship was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for worship

worship

noun

English Language Learners Definition of worship

(Entry 1 of 2)

: the act of showing respect and love for a god especially by praying with other people who believe in the same god : the act of worshipping God or a god

: excessive admiration for someone

worship

verb

English Language Learners Definition of worship (Entry 2 of 2)

: to honor or respect (someone or something) as a god

: to show respect and love for God or for a god especially by praying, having religious services, etc.

: to love or honor (someone or something) very much or too much

See the full definition for worship in the English Language Learners Dictionary

worship

noun

wor·ship | \ ˈwər-shəp